.< 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2016 


I 


https://archive.org/details/artofmodelingOOnich 


COPYRIGHT. 

NICHOLS  & CO. 

1880. 


CONTENTS, 


Introduction 1 

Instructions — Preparation  of  the  Clay,  . . 5 

Tools, 6 

To  Make  Tools, 7 

To  Model  a Medallion, 7 


To  Make  a Plaster  Mold  for  Medallion,  . . 8 

To  Make  Brimstone  Molds 10 


To  Polish  Plaster  Casts, 10 

To  Model  a Bust 11 

To  Mold  the  Face  from  Life, 11 

To  Make  Transfer  or  Waste  Molds,  . . 14-18 

To  Make  a Piece  Mold, 16 

To  Mold  the  Hand  and  Foot  from  Life,  . . 19 

Modeling  Table, 20 

To  Make  Gelatine  Molds, 20 

List  of  Material  and  Tools  for  Gelatine  Molds,  24 
Proportions, 24 


Hints  and  Recipes, - . 25 


CONTENTS. 


Profile  from  Life 26 

Proportions  of  the  Human  Form,  ...  26 

Miscellaneous  Recipes,  . . . . . .29 

Tarnish  for  Plaster  and  Marble  Exposed  to  Air,  29 

To  Clean  Alabaster, 29 

To  Make  Plaster  Casts  Tough,  . . . ,30 

To  Make  Plaster  Casts  Look  like  Marble,  . 30 

To  Mend  Plaster  Casts, 30 

Substitute  for  Plaster  of  Paris,  ...  30 

To  Bronze,  Gild,  Silver  and  Color  Plaster,  30-31 

Artificial  Marble, 32 

To  Clean  Marble, 32-33-35-36 

To  Color  Marble, 33 

Cements, ■ . .34 

A Sculptor’s  Finishing  Process,  ....  36 

To  Take  Impressions  of  Leaves.  Plants,  etc.,  . 39 

To  Preserve  Flowers, 39 

White  or  Green  Moss  Crosses,  . . . .40 


THE  ART  OF  MODELING. 


— &*r— 


NE  who  attempts  to  learn  the  art  of 
modeling  without  the  assistance  of 
an  experienced  artist  will  find  it  a 
difficult  task,  as  all  works  that 
have  been  heretofore  published  on 
the  subject  are  mere  outlines,  telling 
the  materials  used,  and  omitting 
mention  of  the  manner  in  which  the  work 
is  done.  The  authors  say,  “ Get  some  clay, 
prepare  it,  then  go  to  work  and  form  what- 
ever you  wish  to  model,”  giving  no  instruc- 
tions for  preparing  the  clay,  etc.  The  prep- 
aration of  the  clay  is  one  of  the  most  essen- 
tial and  necessary  elements  of  the  art.  It  is  our  inten- 
tion to  explain  every  detail  of  the  process  of  modeling, 
in  so  plain  and  simple  a manner  as  to  enable  the  begin- 
ner to  take  the  raw  material,  and,  by  following  our 
directions,  execute  any  work  desired.  Practice,  and 
close  attention  on  the  part  of  the  learner,  is  all  that  is 
required;  if  true  genius  is  present  it  will  inevitably 
manifest  itself  and  lead  to  success. 

Oliver  Wendell  Holmes  says  : 

“No  soil  upon  earth  is  so  dear  to  our  eyes 
As  the  soil  we  first  stirred  in  terrestrial  pies." 


Among  the  instinctive  manifestations  of  a child’s 
play,  is  the  desire  to  mold  soft  substances — a natural 
impulse  which  country  children  alone  have  the  means, 
usually,  for  gratifying ; and  even  among  that  class  the 
pleasure  of  “playing 'in  the  mud”  is  too  often  made 


2 


THE  ART  OF  MODELING. 


like  the  “ sweets  of  stolen  fruit  ” by  the  horror  with 
which  tidy  mothers  regard  it.  In  some  homes,  occa- 
sionally a little  heart  is  made  happy  by  the  child’s  being 
allowed  a lump  of  dough  to  mold  into  such  forms  as 
his  fancy  dictates. 

In  Kindergarten  this  instinct  is  fostered — educated — 
through  the  use  of  sculptor’s  clay.  Upon  the  tables  are 
placed  oil  cloth  coverings ; the  little  ones  are  draped  in 
sleeved  aprons  kept  for  the  purpose ; before  each  child 
is  laid  a small  quantity  of  moist  clay.  All  wait  until 
each  is  helped  before  touching  the  clay — usually  giving 
heartily  the  ‘‘thank  you”  which  is  expected  by  the 
Kindergartner  whenever  any  service  is  rendered. 
When  the  last  one  has  been  helped,  the  eager  hands 
close  upon  the  treasure,  and  roll  it  between  their  palms 
until  a fair  sphere  has  been  produced.  The  sphere  may 
be  perfected — no  easy  task — and  denominated  marbles, 
balls,  etc. ; or  changed  into  apples,  cherries,  eggs,  pota- 
toes, nuts,  etc.-  Or  they  may  be  rolled  upon  the  table 
until  cylinders  are  formed;  these  may  be  modified  to 
represent  barrels,  muffs,  lawn  rollers,  pencils  and  the 
like ; or  hollowed  and  made  into  tumblers,  pails,  tubs, 
and  baskets.  The  third  definite  step  in  making  geo- 
metric forms  is  the  cube,  which  is  not  undertaken  until 
considerable  skill  in  the  plastic  art  has  been  acquired; 
the  variations  made  from  this  form  are — boxes,  houses, 
wells,  banks,  etc. 

For  the  first  few  minutes — perhaps  half  of  the  time 
devoted  to  clay  work — all  the  children  work  upon  some 
geometric  figure:  then  they  receive  the  permission: 
“Make  what  you  like;”  and  the  fresh  pieces  of  clay 
then  given  out.  are  soon  transformed  into  marvellous 
shapcs--all  meaning  something  to  their  inventors,  and 
all  growing  week  by  week  to  indicate  more  and  more 
plainly  to  the  Kindergartener  the  object  aimed  at. 

The  individuality  of  the  child  reveals  itself  quite 
markedly  in  this  work,  and  it  has  frequently  been 


THE  ART  OF  MODELING. 


3 


noticed  that  the  first  lessons  in  clay  have  done  more 
toward  awakening  dormant  powers,  ambition,  delight 
in  work,  and  a degree  of  self-confidence,  than  any  other 
exercise. 

Modeling  logically  precedes  drawing ; for  the  repre- 
sentation of  the  whole  of  an  object  is  truer  to  nature 
than  the  representation  of  portions  only  of  the  surface 
can  be.  It  is  also  one  of  the  most  essential  accessories 
in  object  teaching;  a child  never  thoroughly  knows  the 
form  of  anything  until  he  is  able  to  reproduce  it.  Give 
him  a nut,  a leaf,  or,  when  advanced  enough,  an  animal 
to  observe,  then  have  him  try  to  make  the  same  in  clay, 
and  the  degree  of  his  failure  or  success  will  show  the 
degree  of  clearness  of  x^erception  ; and  we  may  be  very 
sure  that  the  next  time  he  sees  the  object  he.  will  look 
at  it  with  keener  interest,  and  will  find  something  in 
form  or  proportion  that  had  before  escaped  him. 

Those  who  have  used  clay,  modeling  enough  to  see 
how  useful  it  may  be  made  in  illustrating  all  of  the 
physical  sciences,  and  even  some  of  the  abstract,  as 
mathematics,  believe  that  eventually  modeling  will  be- 
come an  essential  accompaniment  in  every  grade  of  the 
scholar’s  course. 

Try  your  hand  at  modeling.  You  will  find  it  not 
only  profitable,  but  a pleasure  from  which  you  can 
derive  more  enjoyment  than  from  any  other  pastime. 
The  ease  with  which  you  can  overcome  difficulties 
which  are  apparently  insurmountable  before  you  make 
the  trial  will  surprise  you. 

Modeling  can  be  undertaken  without  a knowledge  of 
drawing.  It  is  even  easier  to  imitate  the  forms  of  an 
object  which  can  be  measured  on  all.  sides  than  to  draw 
it,  for  drawing  has  in  addition  the  difficulties  of  fore- 
shortening and  perspective.  As  far  as  the  rational 
teaching  of  art  is  concerned,  it  is  logically  of  greater 
advantage  to  have  lessons  in  drawing  preceded  by 
modeling,  or,  at  least,  to  have  the  pupil  model  from  the 


4 THE  ART  OF  MODELING. 

round,  and  afterwards  draw  what  he  has  modeled. 

It  is  better  at  first  to  copy  very  simple  things  of  the 
exact  size.  As  the  notions  concerning  the  difficulties  of 
art  are  very  vague  to  any  person  who  has  never  han- 
dled either  modeling  tool  or  pencil,  we  will  explain  what 
is  meant  by  simple  forms. 

Bjr  simple  forms  we  mean  regular  geometrical  bodies 
— and  we  advise  the  modeler  to  keep  in  mind  the  forms 
of  the  sphere,  of  the  egg,  of  the  cylinder,  of  the  cone, 
for  the  primitive  bodies  ; of  the  triangular  pyramid,  of 
the  cube,  of  the  prism,  etc.,  foi  the  plane  bodies,  and  to 
practice  copying  them.  We  are  convinced  that  an 
attentive  application  in  imitating  even  coarsely  these 
different  forms  will  open  the  way  to  a perfect  knowledge 
of  composite  form. 

A child  will  model  instinctively,  and  will  take  more 
pleasure,  and  find  it  less  difficult  to  make  a perfectly 
round  ball  than  to  draw  a circle  with  a pencil.  But  if 
he  had  to  cut  a ball  out  of  hard  material,  such  as  plas- 
ter, he  would  become  disheartened,  not  knowing  how 
to  proceed.  Should  you  then  take  a cube  in  plaster 
and  show  him  how  to  cut  off  the  four  corners,  and  then, 
successively,  all  the  other  corners  made  by  the  first  cut- 
ting, and  so  on  until  you  have  formed  a ball  made  by 
the  constant  cutting  of  the  angles,  he  will  understand 
by  what  series  of  shapes  the  cube  has  to  pass  to  become 
a sphere,  and  the  impossibility  of  giving  a shape  to  any 
hard  material  without  the  proper  implements.  Hence, 
he  who  has  never  practiced  an  art  is  almost  a child ; he 
cannot  imagine  by  what  means  he  can  obtain  such  and 
such  a result. 


THE  ART  OF  MODELING. 


5 


INSTRUCTIONS. 


PREPARATION  OF  THE  CLAY. 

The  first  requisite  is  clay.  This  should  be  of  a tena- 
cious nature,  and  free  from  sand  or  gravel.  The  man- 
ner of  preparing  it  differs  with  artists,  but  the  simplest 
and,  in  our  opinion,  the  best  methods  we  will  adopt. 

Place  the  clay  in  a vessel  and  cover  it  with  water ; 
stir  until  it  assumes  a liquid  form.  Let  it  settle,  then 
remove  the  top,  using  care  that  the  clay  which  lies  on 
the  bottom  of  the  vessel  is  not  disturbed,  as  all  the 
sand  and  gravel  which  may  have  been  in  the  clay  will 
have  settled  there.  Place  that  portion  which  you  re- 
moved in  another  vessel  and  allow  it  to  settle  a second 
time,  then  carefully  pour  off  the  water.  Another 
method  is  to  place  a quantity  of  wet  clay  in  a cloth  and 
press  it  through.  When  you  wish  to  model  a small 
figure,  bake  a small  portion  of  the  clav,  pulverize  it,  and 
to  this  add  an  equal  quantity  of  the  damp  clay ; this  will 
make  it  more  tenacious  and  less  liable  to  crack  while 
wrorking  it.  The  preparation  of  the  clay  is  a tedious 
process ; yet,  in  the  end,  it  will  be  found  that  the  care 
and  attention  bestowed  upon  this  part  of  the  work  will 
be  amply  re-paid  by  ease  with  which  a proper  finish  can 
be  given,  as  the  presence  of  sand,  gravel,  or  other  for- 
eign substance  upon  the  surface  of  the  model  will  cause 
infinite  trouble  and  annoyance. 


6 


THE  ART  OF  MODELING. 


TOOLS. 

About  one  dozen  modeling  tools,  as  shown  in  the 
accompanying  engraving,  from  half  a dozen  to  a dozen 


plaster  tools,  and  two  or  three  small  brushes  of  different 
sizes,  will  be  required ; with  these,  and  the  fingers,  you 


TO  MODEL  A MEDALLION. 


7 


will  have  all  the  tools  that  any  sculptor  ever  uses, 
except  the  vessels,  oils,  etc.,  necessary  for  making  molds, 
a description  of  which  will  be  given  further  on. 

If  you  are  unable  to  purchase  the  modeling  tools,  you 
can  make  them  from  any  close-grained  wood,  bone,  or 
ivory.  Boxwood  is  the  cheapest  and  best,  as  you  can, 
with  a sharp  knife,  a piece  of  glass,  or  fine  sand  paper, 
change  them  into  any  desired  shape. 


TO  MODEL  A MEDALLION. 

Before  undertaking  to  model  a bust,  we  would  advise 
you  to  try  a medallion.  Let  the  person  whose  medal- 
lion you  wish  to  make  go  to  a photographer  and  have 
two  pictures  taken, — side  view, — just  alike,  the  size  you 
wish  the  medallion.  Fasten  one  of  the  pictures  firmly 
upon  the  under  side  of  a pane  of  glass,  then  place  clay 
or  wax  on  top  of  the  glass,  over  the  picture,  and  trim  it 
off*  all  around  the  outlines  ; this  can  be  readily  done,  as 
the  picture  is  seen  through  the  glass.  If  this  is  done 
right,  it  will  give  a perfect  outline  of  the  face.  Then 
fasten  the  other  picture  on  the  table,  and,  with  a pair  of 
dividers,  measure  the  different  parts  of  the  face ; for 
example  : you  wish  to  ascertain  the  proper  position  for 
the  eye,  set  one  point  of  the  dividers  on  the  picture  at 
the  end  of  the  nose  and  the  other  at  the  corner  of  the  eye, 
then  place  them  on  the  clay  in  the  same  position,  and 
you  will  have  the  correct  distance ; in  this  manner  you 
can  determine  the  exact  position  of  all  the  features. 
The  true  test  of  the  artist  is  needed  here.  Patience  and 
perseverance — they  are  the  bone  and  sinew  of  genius. 

In  modeling  small  articles,  we  think  wax  is  better 
than  clay,  as  it  will  not  dry  as  rapidly,  and  can  be  made 
smoother  and  kept  in  better  order.  If  wax  is  used,  it 
should  be  prepared  after  the  following  recipe  : 

Virgin  wax,  1%  oz. ; resin,  oz. ; starch,  2 oz. ; ver- 
milion, 2 oz. : melt  together,  and  if  too  stiff  add  a 


8 


THE  ART  OF  MODELING. 


sufficient  quantity  of  the  oil  of  pink  to  give  it  the 
desired  consistency. 


TO  MAKE  A PLASTER  MOLD  FOR  MEDALLION. 

After  the  work  is  finished  in  clay  or  wax,  by  looking 
at  it  from  any  given  point  you  can  tell  whether  it  will 
draw  in  one  piece.  If  you  can  see  every  portion  from 
one  position,  it  is  all  right.  Oil  it  with  lard  oil ; be  sure 
and  touch  every  portion  of  it,  but  do  not  use  too  much 
oil.  To  prepare  the  plaster,  take  a dish  that  will  hold  a 
enough  to  cover  the  work  to  the  thickness  of  an  inch, 
— it  is  better  to  have  too  much  than  too  little, — fill  it 
about  two-thirds  full  of  water;  gently  sprinkle  the 
plaster  into  the  centre  until  it  comes  to  the  surface  of 
the  water,  then  stir  it.  In  mixing  plaster,  never  stir  it 
as  you  do  hasty-pudding ; sprinkle  in  the  plaster  the 
same  as  you  do  the  meal,  and  do  not  stir  until  it  comes 
to  the  top.  Pour  on  the  plaster,  taking  up  the  model 
occasionally  and  shaking  it.  Make  it  an  inch  thick  all 
over  the  glass  ; this  can  be  done  by  allowing  the  plaster 
to  partially  set,  then  piling  it  up.  Let  it  remain  until 
the  plaster  is  hard  ; take  it  off,  clean  the  mold,  and  trim 
the  edges.  The  better  way  is  to  cut  it  into  circular 
form,  as  it  will  then  be  easier  to  handle.  Lay  it  away 
for  a day  to  dry  ; give  it  a coat  of  boiled  oil — let  it  absorb 
all  it  will,  as  the  oil  toughens  it.  Apply  a coat  of  lard 
oil ; be  careful  to  hit  every  part.  Take  a piece  of  paste- 
board long  enough  to  go  around  the  outer  edge,  and 
about  two  inches  wide,  oil  it  well  with  lard  oil,  place  it 
around  the  edge,  even  with  the  bottom,  and  tie  it  with 
a cord.  A band  of  tin  or  zinc  may  be  used,  but  it  must 
be  thoroughly  oiled. 

For  mixing  the  plaster,  select  a dish  that  will  hold 
about  the  quantity  required,  put  in  water  and  plaster 
as  before  directed,  stir  it  and  skim  off  all  the  bubbles 


TO  MAKE  A PLASTER  MOLD  FOR  MEDALLION.  9 

and  dirt  which  rise  to  the  surface.  Pour  it  into  the 
mold  until  it  is  about  half  full,  shake  it  and  pour  out ; 
repeat  this  operation  several  times,  then  fill  the  mold. 
When  the  plaster  has  become  hard,  remove  the  paste- 
board band  and  gently  start  the  cast  around  the  edges. 
Should  it  not  readily  part,  wet  the  back  of  the  mold. 
These  directions  apply  to  the  removel  of  casts  from 
brimstone  molds. 

When  the  cast  has  been  successfully  taken  out,  you 
have  the  original  in  plaster.  The  next  step  is  to  finish 
the  surface.  The  best  instrument  for  this  purpose  is  a 
plant  which  grows  upon  our  prairies,  sometimes  called 
the  “section-plant,” — a sort  of  reed  or  rush  that  grows 
sections, — the  outer  surface  of  which  has  the  properties 
of  a file  ; with  this,  a surface  can  be  obtained  that  will 
be  as  smooth  as  glass.  They  should  be  kept  moist.  Go 
over  the  medallion  with  these,  being  careful  not  to 
erase  the  fine  lines. 

By  studying  the  photograph,  or,  still  better,  the  origi- 
nal, you  can  change  any  point,  or  make  any  desired 
improvement,  in  the  plaster.  When  finished,  lay  it 
away  until  it  is  perfectly  dry  ; then  prepare  the  follow- 
ing recipe,  which  will  harden  plaster  almost  equal  to 
earthenware : 

Boil  one  quart  of  boiled  oil ; put  in  as  soon  as  it  com- 
mences to  boil,  one  ounce  of  rosin  and  one  quarter 
ounce  of  white  vitrol ; let  it  boil  ten  minutes  ; warm  the 
original  and  apply  this  mixture  while  hot. 

Let  it  absorb  all  it  will,  then  wipe  it  off  with  cotton 
batting,  or  it  will  form  a coat  over  the  plaster  which 
will  fill  up  the  fine  lines.  Give  it  several  coats  of  this, 
always  warming  the  original,  and  having  the  mixture 
hot,  and  wiping  off  after  each  application.  Clean  and 
oil  the  pasteboard ; tie  it  around  as  before,  and  take  a 
soft  brush,  dip  in  lard  oil  and  rub  all  over  the  original, 
touching  every  part ; rub  the  oil  off  with  cotton  batting, 
as  brimstone  molds  need  but  little  oil. 


10 


THE  ART  OF  MODELING. 


TO  MAKE  BRIMSTONE  MOLDS. 

Put  brimstone  into  an  iron  kettle  over  a slow  fire  and 
heat  it  until  all  is  melted ; set  it  off  and  let  it  cool  until 
it  stops  smoking,  and  commences  to  crystalize  around 
the  edges ; pour  in  sufficient  to  cover  the  mold  about 
one  quarter  of  an  inch,  then  shake  it  and  fill  it  up. 
(The  more  often  brimstone  is  melted,  the  tougher  and 
better  it  becomes).  Let  it  cool  and  take  it  out. 

Follow  the  directions  given  for  taking  out  the  orig- 
inal. If  it  should  stick,  blow  between  the  cast  and 
the  brimstone,  at  the  same  time  pull.  Put  the  paste- 
board around  the  brimstone  mold ; oil  as  before  de- 
scribed, with  brush,  wiping  off  with  cotton  ; mix  plaster 
the  same  as  before,  and  take  a brush,  dip  it  in  the 
plaster,  and  daub  the  mold  all  over,  touching  every 
part.  This  will  prevent  air  from  getting  between  the 
mold  and  casr.  Fill  up  with  plaster,  let  it  set,  and  take 
it  out  in  the  manner  already  described,  and  you  have  as 
perfect  a cast  as  can  be  possibly  made,  for  brimstone 
makes  the  best  mold  of  any  material  known. 


TO  POLISH  PLASTER  CASTS. 

Should  you  wish  to  give  the  cast  a high  polish,  apply 
soapstone,  pulverized,  (the  same  that  shoemakers  use) 
with  a soft  brush  or  piece  of  cotton,  while  the  cast  is 
green ; or  take  white  Castile  soap,  shave  it  up  thin,  put 
it  in  hot  water,  and  apply  in  the  same  way,  only  the 
cast  must  be  dry. 

If  you  wish  to  imitate  statuary,  or  porcelain  marble, 
the  following  recipe  is  the  best  in  existence.  The 
party  from  whom  we  purchased  it  is  the  inventor,  and 
until  he  sold  it  to  us,  it  was  unknown  to  anyone  but 
himself: 

Take  pure  sweet  milk,  boil  it  and  skim  two  or  three 
times ; put  it  on  the  face  of  the  cast  and  blow  it  evenly 
on  all  parts,  using  care  that  it  does  not  get  on  the  edge 


TO  MODEL  A BUST. 


11 


or  back  ; lay  it  away  for  two  or  three  days,  then  put  it  in 
a shallow  dish,  face  up,  and  pour  in  the  oil  of  sweet  al- 
mond until  it  comes  up  to  about  one-half  or  two-thirds 
of  the  edge  of  the  cast ; be  careful  that  none  gets  on  the 
face  ; as  the  oil  is  absorbed,  put  in  more  until  the  cast  is 
saturated.  This  makes  it  perfectly  transparent,  and  of 
a beautiful  color ; the  milk  forms  a coat  on  the  surface 
wTiich  will  bear  washing. 

After  it  is  finished,  frame  the  medallion,  and  if  any 
one  can  tell  it  from  the  finest  piece  of  statuary  he  is  a 
better  judge  of  marble  than  we  are. 


TO  MODEL  A BUST. 

Having  finished  the  medallion  to  your  satisfaction, 
you  can  try  your  hand  on  a bust. 

Suppose  you  wish  to  make  a bust  of  a friend:  the 
first  thing  necessary  is  an  iron  or  wooden  frame  to  sup- 
port the  clay,  care  being  taken  that  the  frame  is  not  so 
long  as  to  protrude  when  the  work  is  in  progress. 
The  following  cut  will  show  how  it  to  be  constructed. 

Let  the  cross-piece  serve  for  the 
shoulders.  Should  you  find  this  in- 
sufficient, you  can  insert  small  pieces 
of  wire  into  the  clay  where  they  are 
needed.  Have  the  frame  firmly  fast- 
ened to  a block.  Commence  at  the 
bottom  and  build  up  until  you  have  a 
rough  outline  of  the  head  and  shoul- 
ders. 

The  next  thing  is  to  get  a mask.  In 
order  to  do  this,  have  your  friend  lie 
upon  his  back,  and,  having  raised  his 
head  by  means  of  a pillow  to  the 
natural  position  when  walking,  apply 
stick  pomade  (the  same  that  barbers 
use)  to  the  eye-brows  and  eye-lashes, 
plastering  them  down  to  the  head  as  close  as  possible. 


12  THE  ART  OF  MODELING. 

Insert  quills  into  the  nostrils,  and  carefully  plug  the 
space  around  each  quill  with  cotton.  Cover  the  parts 
to  be  molded  with  olive  oil  and  lard,  equal  parts  of  each 
melted  together ; apply  by  means  of  a feather,  brush,  or 
lump  of  cotton.  Mix  the  plaster  (New  York)  with 
warm  water,  and  have  it  about  as  thick  as  cream. 
Cover  the  face  with  plaster,  commencing  as  close  to  the 
hair  as  possible,  and  spread  it  downwards  over  the 
eyes,  which  should  be  kept  firmly  closed,  but  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  produce  no  distortion  of  the  features  by 
too  violent  compression,  and  continue  the  plaster  as  far 
the  lower  border  of  the  chin.  Put  on  the  plaster  to  the 
thickness  of  about  one-half  or  three-fourths  of  an  inch. 

If  the  person  upon  whom  you  are  operating  has  chin 
whiskers,  tie  a string  about  them  and  rub  the  pomade 
all  around  the  edge  ; put  the  plaster  as  close  to  them  as 
possible.  If  he  has  a moustache,  and  it  is  not  too 
heavy,  it  can  be  treated  the  same  as  the  eye-brows. 

When  the  plaster  has  set,  which  will  require  but  a 
few  moments,  tell  the  person  to  draw  in  his  cheeks ; 
then  take  hold  of  the  top  and  bottom  of  the  mask  and 
tell  him  to  blow;  raise  the  mask  gently  at  the  same 
time  and  you  will  have  a perfect  fac-simile  of  his  face. 

Let  the  mask  stand  for  a day  to  get  thoroughly  dry  ; 
then  take  the  best  white  English  Castile  soap,  place  it 
in  a dish  with  a little  water,  put  it  over  the  fire  and  stir 
until  it  is  about  as  thick  as  soft  soap ; with  a brush 
apply  this  to  the  inside  of  the  mask  while  warm  ; let  it 
dry  in.  Give  two  or  three  coats  of  this,  then  take  equal 
parts  of  olive  oil  and  common  lard,  melt  them  together, 
and  thoroughly  oil  the  inside  of  the  mask. 

Mix  your  plaster  the  same  as  you  did  in  making  the 
medallion ; be  sure  you  have  enough.  Sprinkle  the 
plaster  into  it  until  it  comes  to  the  top  of  the  water; 
stir  it  well,  pour  it  in  and  out  two  or  three  times, 
then  fill  it  full.  After  it  begins  to  set,  take  a spoon  and 
scoop  it  out  the  middle  ; this  will  prevent  the  bursting 


TO  MODEL  A BUST. 


13 


of  the  mold  by  expansion.  You  had  better  take  a cast 
of  the  ear,  as  you  will  find  it  of  great  assistance  to  you 
when  you  come  to  work.  Operate  in  the  same  way  as 
you  did  in  taking  the  mask ; plug  the  ear  with  cotton,  etc. 

With  this  mask  (which  of  course  is  a perfect  likeness) 
you  can  commence  operations.  We  would  advise  be- 
ginners to  work  by  measure.  When  further  advanced, 
you  will  find  that  you  will  dispense  with  measurement 
and  work  from  the  eye  only.  For  instance,  you  wish  a 
bust  one-half  as  large  as  life  ; all  that  is  necessary  is  to 
measure  the  mask  with  a pair  of  calipers  and  dividers, 
measuring  each  part  carefully,  and  make  the  model  one- 
half  as  large.  Every  portion  of  the  face  can  be  meas- 
ured in  this  manner. 

Caution  must  be  used  to  keep  clay  from  cracking 
when  not  at  work.  One  of  the  difficulties  to  be  en- 
countered in  modeling  in  clay,  is  to  preserve  an  uniform 
degree  of  moisture,  neither  too  great  nor  too  little,  so 
that  your  finished  work,  light  reliefs  and  details,  may 
be  preserved  in  the  proper  state  of  firmness,  and  yet 
moist  enough  to  work  upon. 

To  begin  with,  the  clay  should  be  fully  worked  and 
washed,  then  packed  with  a packing  knife  or  trowel  to 
the  bulk  of  the  object  to  be  modeled,  in  small  quanti- 
ties at  a time,  using  a light  solution  of  treacle  and  alco- 
hol on  the  trowel,  to  moisten  and  make  the  parts  in- 
corporate. This  solution  may  be  used  in  first  mixing 
the  clay,  with  a very  little  glue  water  for  the  “ core  ” 
or  body  of  the  work.  The  surface  may  be  left  in  the 
usual  state,  well  worked  in  the  hand  or  on  slate  before 
laying  on  each  part. 

The  only  practical  and  efficient  method  for  keeping 
clay  uniformly  moist  and  compact,  is  to  cover  it  with  a 
block-tin  or  zinc  box  or  case.  If  you  are  unable  to  pro- 
cure tin  or  zinc,  stretch  canvas  over  a wooden  frame 
and  give  it  two  good  coats  of  paint.  Lay  a wet  cloth 
on  the  outside  of  the  case.  One  part  of  the  work  will 


14 


THE  ART  OF  MODELING. 


not  be  more  exposed  than  another.  Laving  a wet 
cloth  immediately  over  the  clay  is  imperfect,  as  the 
moisture  will  evaporate  in  a warm  room. 

The  best  instrument  for  sprinkling  water  upon  the 
clay  we  have  found  to  be  a tin  tnbe  eight  or  ten  inches 
long,  around  the  end  of  which  is  wrapped  a cloth.  Dip 
into  water,  blow  through  the  tube,  and  it  finely  moisten 
the  work  in  places  which  could  be  reached  by  no  other 
process. 

A small  brush  will  be  needed  to  smooth  down  the 
fine  places  around  the  eyes,  corners  of  the  mouth,  etc. 

Let  the  clay  dry  gradually,  and  polish  it  with  the 
fingers  as  it  dries. 

The  head  can  be  measured  from  life,  making  allow- 
ance for  the  hair.  It  will  be  a good  plan  to  have  a bust 
executed  by  a good  artist,  to  examine ; by  this  means 
yon  can  learn  how  to  finish  the  hair,  eyes,  and  many 
other  points. 

After  you  have  measured  the  model,  and  the  size  and 
proportions  are  correct,  then  comes  the  test  of  the  true 
artist — to  get  the  expression.  This  can  only  be  obtained 
by  studying  the  face,  or  a good  picture. 

When  the  model  in  clay  is  finished,  and  you  are  sat- 
isfied with  it,  apply  the  same  oil  that  you  used  upon  the 
molds, — olive  oil  and  lard. — rubbing  it  with  the  fingers 
until  it  is  polished  as  smooth  as  possible ; let  it  dry,  and 
apply  it  three  or  four  times,  carefully  rubbing  it  each 
time.  If  you  have  good  clay,  it  will  receive  a polish 
equal  to  glass. 


TO  MAKE  A TRANSFER  MOLD. 

To  make  a good  job  a transfer  mold  will  be  required, 
which  is  made  in  this  manner:  Oil  the  bust  well. 

Mix  about  the  quantity  of  piaster  you  think  you  will 
need ; put  a little  Venetian  red  into  it  to  give  it  a color, 
so  you  will  know  where  to  take  the  shell  off,  as  the  bust 


TO  MAKE  A TRANSFER  MOLD. 


15 


will  be  white.  By  doing  this  you  will  not  injure  or  be 
liable  to  cut  the  bust ; the  color  will  show  you  when  it 
is  down  to  it.  Use  good  New  York  plaster  for  all  your 
molds. 

Before  you  mix  the  plaster,  take  small  pieces  of  tin  or 
thin  paste-board,  oil  them  and  stick  then  in  the  bust 
from  the  top  of  the  head  around  just  behind  the  ears, 
down  over  the  shoulders,  all  around ; then  commence 
and  cover  the  back  part  of  the  head  and  shoulders 
with  the  plaster,  blowing  it  into  the  hair,  etc.  The 
plaster  should  be  thin.  Make  the  shell  about  one- 
half  or  three-fourths  of  an  inch  thick.  When  all  is  cov- 
ered, let  it  stand  until  the  plaster  is  set,  take  the  tin  or 
paste-board  out,  filling  the  holes  carefully  with  clay. 
Then  oil  well  the  edge  of  the  plaster  which  came  up 
against  the  tin,  and  oil  the  front  part  of  the  bust  Mix 
some  more  plaster,  do  the  same  as  you  did  to  the  back 
part  of  the  bust,  and  do  not  fail  to  blow  the  plaster  into 
all  the  crevices,  nose,  eyes,  mouth,  etc.  When  covered, 
let  it  stand  until  it  is  thoroughly  set.  Take  a line  wire, 
put  it  into  the  crease,  and,  with  an  end  in  each  hand, 
saw  gently  down  through  the  clay  ; divide  it  into  two 
parts,  and  pick  the  clay  out  of  the  shells.  Save  the  clay, 
as  it  becomes  better  the  more  you  use  it. 

Wash  the  molds  well  with  the  same  kind  of  soap 
used  on  the  mask,  being  careful  not  to  break  them.  Oil 
them  thoroughly  two  or  three  times,  drying  it  in.  Tie 
them  together  firmly  with  a string,  and  pour  the 
plaster  in  through  the  bottom.  Mix  New  York  plaster 
the  same  as  before,  without  color.  Pour  it  in  and  out 
two  or  three  times,  turning  and  shaking  it  at  the  same 
time.  Fill  it  and  let  it  set.  When  set,  take  off  the 
strings,  and  with  a blunt  chisel  and  small  wooden  mal- 
let, commence  at  the  top  of  the  head,  close  to  the  crease, 
and  cut  the  shell  off  in  small  pieces.  Take  care  not  to 
hit  the  bust.  The  mold  being  made  of  red  plaster,  you 
can  tell  when  you  come  to  the  bust,  as  that  will  be 


16 


THE  ART  OF  MODELING. 


white.  Remove  all  the  shell  or  transfer  mold.  Wash 
the  bust  thoroughly  with  the  soap,  let  it  stand  a day, 
then  clean  it  off  with  the  plaster  tools.  Should  there 
be  any  holes,  soak  the  bust  in  water  and  till  them  with 
plaster.  Always  use  clear  plaster  and  water  in  filling 
holes. 

When  the  bust  is  in  plaster  you  can  see  it  to  better 
advantage  than  you  could  in  clay ; and  should  you  find 
any  places  that  you  think  you  could  improve  on,  you 
can  cut  it  away  with  the  plaster  tools.  It  will  take  a 
week  or  more  for  it  to  dry  sufficiently  to  make  the  other 
mold.  You  can  improve  this  time  by  studying  your 
your  friend’s  features  and  improving  the  bust. 


TO  MAKE  A PIECE  MOLD. 

One  of  the  most  difficult  tasks  in  modeling  is  the 
making  of  a good  piece  mold.  The  process  can  not  be 
readily  explained,  as  no  two  molds  are  precisely  alike ; 
it  will  be  necessary  for  you  to  exercise  your  judgement 
in  making  the  pieces  so  they  will  draw — that  is,  in  such 
a way  that  they  may  be  removed  without  breaking  the 
cast  or  the  piece,  if  you  can  obtain  an  unfinished  cast 
from  a manufacturer,  the  seams  upon  it  will  show  the 
form  and  position  of  the  pieces.  The  pieces  should  be 
so  made  that  they  will  bind  upon  each  other;  dove-tail 
them  together.  Should  any  of  the  small  pieces  not  bind, 
gum  them  and  that  will  hold  them.  Fine  plaster  should 
be  used  for  these  molds  as  the  coarser  quality  is  too 
porous;  fine  plaster  my  be  used  on  the  face  of  the 
mold,  and  this  backed  up  with  the  coarse.  Oil  the 
transfer  cast  well,  and  having  determined  the  position 
of  a piece,  mix  the  plaster  and  lay  it  on  to  about  the 
thickness  of  three-fourths  of  an  inch  ; allow  it  to  set, 
then  carefully  remove  it,  trim  the  edges  and  back 
neatly,  and  make  two  hollows  on  each  of  the  edges 
with  the  round  end  of  a table  knife,  like  the  deep  im- 


TO  MAKE  A PIECE  MOLD. 


17 


pression  of  a thimble’s  end.  Place  it  back,  oil  the 
edges,  clean  all  the  old  plaster  out  of  your  dish,  and 
clean  the  spoon  that  you  stir  with.  Save  the  old  plas- 
ter for  the  making  of  molds ; the  manner  of  using  it 
will  be  explained  in  the  list  of  recipes. 

Continue  putting  on  pieces,  operating  the  same  as 
with  the  first  piece  of  the  mold,  taking  care  that  the 
pieces  will  draw  even.  After  you  have  all  the  bust 
covered,  and  the  back  of  each  piece  scraped,  make  a 
hole  in  each  piece  the  same  as  you  did  in  the  edges, 
with  a table-knife.  Put  two  or  three  coats  of  soap  on, 
using  the  same  as  was  used  on  the  mask.  Dry  it  in, 
then  give  it  the  same  amount  of  oil  that  you  used 
before.  Make  a shell  over  the  whole  bust  with  Michi- 
gan plaster,  in  two  parts,  covering  one-half  at  a time. 
Put  this  shell  on  the  same  as  you  did  the  transfer 
shell,  only  make  it  thicker ; then  take  it  apart,  take 
out  the  cast,  put  the  pieces  back  in  their  places  in 
the  shell  and  tie  them  together.  Lay  it  away  for  a 
day  or  two  until  it  gets  dry,  then  take  it  apart  and 
brush  each  piece,  then  oil  it  well  with  the  following 
mixture : 

Take  a half  gallon  of  boiled  oil,  put  it  on  the  stove, 
let  it  boil ; add  one  and  a half  ounces  of  resin  and  the 
same  of  wax,  and  a half  ounce  of  white  vitriol.  Let  it 
boil  until  it  is  middling  thick. 

Apply  this  preparation  to  each  piece  while  warm ; 
dry  it  in  by  the  stove  two  or  three  times,  and  you  will 
find  when  your  mold  gets  dry,  it  will  turn  yellow  and 
hard,  will  have  the  ring  of  earthenware,  and  be  about 
as  durable.  Oil  it  well  each  time  you  cast,  you  will 
find  it  will  not  absorb  much. 

Your  mold  being  ready,  mix  New  York  plaster  thin, 
about  what  you  think  will  be  needed  for  a thin  coat. 
Pour  it  in  ; keep  turning  the  mold  in  your  hands,  coat- 
ing the  inside  all  over.  Pour  it  in  and  out  two  or  three 
times ; then  mix  Michigan  plaster  as  soon  as  possible 


18 


THE  ART  OF  MODELING. 


and  fill  the  mold  with  it.  If  you  wish  to  make  it  hol- 
low, put  in  a small  quantity  and  keep  turning  it  in  the 
hands  until  it  sets. 

In  molding  a figure  where  the  arms  and  legs  are  ex- 
tended from  the  body,  you  can  mold  them  separately. 
After  they  are  in  the  clay,  cut  them  off  close  to  the  body 
and  make  a separate  mold  from  them.  When  cast, 
take  a knife  and  cut  a hole  in  the  arm  or  leg,  on  the  end 
where  it  was  cut  off ; also  in  the  body ; wet  the  limbs 
and  the  body ; mix  plaster  and  fill  up  the  holes,  place 
them  in  their  proper  places,  press  them  together,  let  the 
plaster  set,  then  trim  the  plaster  off  and  it  will  not 
show. 


TRANSFER  MOLD. 

There  are  several  ways  for  making  transfer  molds; 
we  have  given  the  one  which  we  consider  the  best  and 
easiest,  but  would  advise  the  use  of  the  following 
method,  if  not  in  too  great  a hurry : 

After  the  bust  has  been  prepared  for  the  transfer 
mold,  put  on  the  tin  or  pasteboard  as  before  directed. 
Mix  plaster  thin  in  water  to  which  has  been  added  a 
sufficient  quantity  of  Venetian  red  to  give  it  a high 
color,  lay  it  upon  the  back  of  the  bust,  and  blow  it  in  ; 
the  coat  should  be  about  one-fourth  of  an  inch  thick. 
When  this  has  set,  it  must  be  given  a coat  of  clay 
water, — water  in  which  clay  has  been  mixed  to  about 
the  thickness  of  common  whitewash, — applied  with  a 
brush.  Then  mix  plaster  in  clean  water,  without  color, 
and,  as  it  begins  to  set,  place  it  upon  this  first  coat  with 
a trowel  to  the  depth  of  about  an  inch,  over  the  whole 
back  portion  of  the  bust,  close  up  to  the  tin  or  paste- 
board. When  this  has  set,  remove  the  tin  01  paste- 
board, and  carefully  fill  the  holes  made  by  it  with  clay ; 
then  trim  the  edge  of  the  plaster,  make  holes  in  it  about 


TO  MOLD  THE  HAND. 


19 


one-fourth  of  an  inch  deep  and  six  inches  apart,  and. 
with  a brush,  coat  it  with  melted  soap.  Oil  the  clay 
and  the  edge  of  the  plaster,  repeat  the  coats  of  colored 
plaster,  clay  water,  and  white  plaster,  the  same  as  upon 
the  back.  When  this  has  set,  pry  the  mold  apart  with 
a chisel  or  knife  ; if  it  should  stick,  wet  the  whole  mold  ; 
should  this  do  no  good,  set  it  into  a tub  of  water,  let  it 
soak,  and  as  soon  as  the  water  penetrates  to  the  clay  it 
can  be  easily  removed.  Prepare  the  mold  for  casting  in 
the  same  manner  as  by  the  other  method.  The  outer 
shell  can  be  taken  off  in  large  pieces,  as  the  clay  water 
will  allow  it  to  readily  part  from  the  colored  plaster. 
The  inner  coat  of  colored  plaster  must  be  very  carefully 
chipped  off  in  small  pieces  to  prevent  injury  to  the  cast. 


TO  MOLD  THE  HAND. 

If  you  wish  to  obtain  a cast  of  the  hand  of  a living 
person,  mix  plaster  in  the  usual  way  and  lay  it  on  a 
board  which  has  been  oiled ; oil  the  hand  with  lard  oil, 
and  place  it  in  the  plaster  before  it  sets:  gently  press  it 
down  until  it  is  about  half  buried  in  the  plaster;  let  it 
remain  until  the  plaster  is  hard.  The  hand  may  then  be 
removed,  the  edges  of  the  plaster  neatly  trimmed,  and 
coated  with  melted  soap:  replace  the  hand,  oil  it,  and 
cover  it  with  mixed  plaster  to  the  thickness  of  about 
three-fourths  of  an  inch ; when  this  has  set.  remove  the 
top  piece  and  take  out  the  hand : thoroughly  soap  and 
oil  the  mold,  tie  the  piece  together,  and  make  the  cast. 
Another  method  is  to  cover  the  hand  entirely  with  plas- 
ter, first  having  placed  a small  strong  cord  around  the 
hand,  commencing  at  the  wrist  on  one  side,  and  carry- 
ing it  around  the  ends  of  the  fingers  to  the  other  side  of 
the  wrist,  leaving  the  ends  long:  the  cord  must  be  care- 
fully drawn  out  before  the  plaster  has  become  hard, 


20 


THE  ART  OF  MODELING. 


which  has  the  effect  of  cutting  the  plaster  into  two 
pieces.  The  hand  is  then  withdrawn  and  the  cast  made 
as  above  directed.  These  rules  also  apply  to  the  cast- 
ing of  a foot. 


MODELING  TABLE. 

For  modeling  works  in  the  round,  a turn-table  will  be 
very  convenient.  It  is  made  from  two  circular  pieces 
of  board,  one  resting  upon  a pivot  in  the  centre  of 
the  other;  small  rollers  may  also  be  placed  between 
them  to  facilitate  their  turning.  The  clay  is  placed 
upon  the  upper  board.  The  turning  of  the  table  will 
bring  any  portion  of  the  work  before  the  operator, 
and  thus  enable  him  work  under  the  same  light  on 
all  parts  of  the  model. 


TO  MAKE  GELATINE  MOLDS. 

The  principle  of  gelatine  molding  is  embodied  in  the 
idea  that  any  article  may  be  suspended  in  a bowl  of  hot 
jelly,  allowed  to  remain  until  the  jelly  is  cold,  then 
withdrawn, — which  its  elasticity  will  readily  permit 
without  injury, — and  a perfect  mold  of  the  article  will  be 
the  result.  It  follows,  then,  that  if  this  mold  is  filled 
with  mixed  plaster,  a fac  simile  of  the  article  will  be 
produced. 

The  first  object  sought  for,  is  something  to  replace 
the  bowl,  and  the  simplest  and  best  substitute  is  a plas- 
ter of  Paris  shell,  or  case,  which  shall  conform  to  the 
general  outline  of  the  object,  leaving  a space  of  about 
one-half  an  inch  between  them. 

We  will  suppose  that  a mold  over  a bust  one-half  the 
size  of  life  is  desired ; the  shell  is  made  in  the  following 
manner : 


TO  MAKE  GELATINE  MOLDS. 


21 


Stand  the  bust  on  its  pedestal  and  cover  it  with  three 
or  four  thicknesses  of  old  newspaper ; plaee  clay  all  over 
it  to  the  thickness  of  about  one-half  an  inch — a good 
plan  is  to  roll  the  clay  out  into  a sheet,  cut  it  into  strips, 
and  lay  it  on  to  the  bust.  When  covered,  oil  the  clay. 
Mix  plaster,  and  as  it  hardens,  pile  it  up  on  one  side, 
from  the  top  of  the  head  down  the  centre  of  each  shoul- 
der, until  the  back  part  is  covered  to  the  thickness  of 
about  three-fourths  of  an  inch.  Let  it  set;  take  oft’, 
trim  the  edges,  and  make  holes  with  the  point  of  a 
table-knife  about  six  inches  apart  all  around  the  edge 
of  the  piece.  (The  reason  of  this  is.  that  when  the 
plaster  is  put  upon  the  front,  it  will  fill  these  holes  and 
form  a key,  which  will  aid  in  placing  the  mold  in  its 
proper  position,  and,  in  addition,  serve  to  hold  the 
pieces  firmly  together).  Shellac  and  oil  the  edges  well, 
replace  it  upon  the  clay,  and  lay  plaster  upon  the  front 
portion  the  same  as  upon  the  back.  When  this  piece  is 
completed,  without  removing  the  pieces,  turn  the  whole 
upside  down,  wet  the  bottom  of  the  pedestal,  and 
scratch  it  with  the  point  of  a knife,  but  do  not  oil  it ; 
the  effect  of  this  is  to  make  the  bottom  of  the  mold  ad- 
here to  the  pedestal,  and,  consequently,  it  will  always 
remain  in  the  same  place.  Then  oil  the  bottom  edge 
of  the  other  pieces,  and  lay  on  mixed  plaster  to  the 
thickness  of  about  an  inch  over  the  whole  bottom  part 
of  the  mold,  pedestal,  etc.  When  this  piece  becomes 
hard,  remove  the  two  upper  pieces,  and  in  the  top  of 
them  make  two  or  more  openings. one,  an  inch  and  one- 
half  in  diameter,  through  which  the  glue  is  to  be  poured, 
the  others  smaller,  to  allow  the  escape  of  the  air.  This 
being  done,  remove  the  clay  and  paper  from  the  bust,  let 
it  dry  and  give  the  inside  of  the  mold,  the  bust,  and 
every  place  which  the  glue  will  touch,  a thorough  coat  of 
gum  shellac  dissolved  in  alcohol.  When  dry,  oil  them 
well,  replace  them  over  the  bust,  tie  them  firmly,  and 


22 


THE  ART  OF  MODELING. 


lay  moist  clay  around  the  holes  in  the  top  to  the  height 
of  about  two  inches ; oil  the  clay,  and  all  is  then  ready 
for  the  glue. 

Get  Peter  Cooper’s  white  glue.  Soak  it  in  cold  water 
for  about  an  hour  and  a half,  then  take  it  out  and  spread 
it  in  a thin  layer  upon  a clean  board  or  bench,  and  let  it 
drain  for  about  one  hour;  then  place  it  in  t lie  glue  ket- 
tle. This  kettle  must  tit  into  a larger  kettle' (the  same 
as  a common  glue-pot),  leaving  a space  of  about  one 
inch  on  the  sides  and  two  inches  at  the  bottom.  The 
inside  kettle  should  have  a tight  cover,  and  must  be 
fastened  down  to  prevent  its  rising  when  the  larger 
kettle  is  tilled  with  water.  Add  about  half  a pint  of 
clean  water  to  the  glue,  till  the  outer  kettle,  place  it  on 
the  tire  and  let  it  boil  for  aboiit  two  hours,  or  until  it  is 
thoroughly  melted ; it  must  be  free  from  lumps,  and  of 
about  the  consistency  of  golden  syrup;  if  too  thick,  add 
enough  boiling  water  to  reduce  it  to  the  proper  point. 
The  glue  must  not  be  poured  as  soon  as  taken  from  the 
tire ; remove  the  inner  kettle  and  let  it  stand  until  the 
hand  can  be  borne  on  the  outside,  or  until  very  little 
heat  can  be  felt,  then  slowly  pour  it  into  the  mold  until 
it  is  tilled  to  the  top  of  the  clay  placed  around  the  holes. 
It  may  be  necessary  to  add  a little  more  glue  after  it 
has  stood  for  a short  time,  as  it  sometimes  settles. 

The  mold  must  be  allowed  to  stand  from  five  to  eight 
hours,  or  until  the  glue  is  cold.  Then  carefully  remove 
the  shell,  and,  with  a sharp  knife,  divide  the  glue  into 
two  parts,  corresponding  with  the  pieces  of  the  shell ; 
this  can  be  readily  done,  as  the  joint  of  the  shell  leaves 
a seam  in  the  glue.  The  glue  which  projects  above  the 
shell  must  be  cut  off. 

When  the  glue  has  been -successfully  removed,  throw 
a handful  of  dry  plaster  into  each  piece,  shake  it,  and 
pour  it  out;  the  plaster  will  absorb  the  oil  that  was 
used  on  the  bust.  The  mold  must  then  be  washed  with 


TO  MAKE  GELATIXE  MOLDS. 


23 


a solution  of  alum,  in  proportion  of  one  ounce  of  pulver- 
ized alum  to  one  quart  of  water;  this  mixture  should  bo 
kept  on  hand,  read)7  to  use  when  needed.  After  apply- 
ing the  solution,  let  the  mold  stand  for  about  two  hours. 

When  the  mold  is  ready  for  use,  it  must  be  carefully 
oiled  with  extra  lard  oil  in  which  wax  has  been  melted 
in  proportion  of  one-half  ounce  of  wax  to  one  gallon  of 
oil ; it  will  be  necessary  to  heat  the  oil  to  make  the  wax 
incorporate  with  it.  Apply  the  oil  with  a small  bristle 
brush;  take  the  mold  in  the  hands  and  bend  it  so  that 
the  brush  will  touch  every  part.  But  little  oil  is  neces- 
sary; it  is  best  to  use  considerable  at  first,  and  then  rub 
it  off  with  a dry  brush.  When  this  is  done,  replace  the 
glue  in  the  shell,  tie  it  together,  and  it  is  then  prepared 
for  the  cast. 

The  plaster  should  be  mixed  to  the  consistency  of 
thick  cream,  and  should  be  fine — either  New  York  or 
Philadelphia.  In  mixing  the  plaster,  take,  in  a bowl,  the 
quantity  of  clean  water  necessary  to  fill  the  mold, 
spinkle  the  plaster  into  it  until  it  comes  to  the  top,  then 
stir  it  and  skim  off  the  bubbles.  Pour  the  plaster  into 
the  mold,  turn  it,  and  let  it  remain  until  set.  Before  it 
becomes  hot,  take  the  cast  out  in  the  same  manner  as 
the  original  was  taken  from  the  mold.  Some  grades 
of  plaster  will  become  hot  before  the  cast  is  hard  enough 
to  be  taken  from  the  mold  ; this  happens  more  especially 
in  warm  weather,  and  has  the  effect  of  melting  the  fine 
points  of  the  mold ; it  may  be  overcome  by  adding  a 
small  quantity  of  lime  water — about  a tablespoonful  to 
a gallon — to  the  water  in  which  the  plaster  is  mixed. 
A teaspoonful  of  strong  alum  water  to  a quart  of  the 
casting  water,  will  hasten  the  •setting  of  the  plaster. 
To  ascertain  if  the  plaster  will  need  anything  to  set  it 
quick,  mix  a small  quantity  and  pour  on  the  glue ; if  it 
does  not  melt,  it  is  all  right.  Cast  in  a cool  place. 

When  the  Avork  is  finished — that  is,  when  all  the 


24 


THE  ART  OF  MODELING. 


desired  casts  have  been  made, — remelt  the  glue  and 
pour  it  out  as  thin  as  possible  upon  a clean  board  which 
has  previously  been  oiled;  when  removed  from  the 
board,  it  will  become  dry  and  hard,  and  can  be  laid 
away  and  used  over  again  when  wanted. 

The  following  is  a list  of  the  materials  and  tools  re- 
quired for  molding  the  bust;  larger  or  smaller  objects 
will  need  proportionately  more  or  less  material : 

4 lbs.  Peter  Cooper’s  white  glue. 

10  lbs.  plaster  of  Paris. 

10  lbs.  moist  clay. 

% pint  extra  lard  oil. 

1 oz.  pulverized  alum. 

4 ozs.  gum  shellac  dissolved  in  alcohol. 

A glue  kettle  of  about  one  gallon  capacity. 

2 or  3 plaster  tools. 

2 or  3 small  bristle  brushes. 

A tea  cup,  2 or  3 large  bowls,  and  a sharp  knife. 


PROPORTIONS. 

The  following  proportions  of  the  human  figure  will 
be  of  service  to  you  in  modeling  life-size  figures : 

When  a well  formed  man  extends  his  arms  to  their 
utmost  stretch,  the  distance  from  their  extremities 
equals  his  height. 

The  longest  toe  is  equal  to  the  length  of  the  nose. 

The  hand  is  the  length  of  the  face. 

Twice  the  breadth  of  the  hand  equals  its  length. 

The  breadth  of  the  hand  is  equal  to  that  of  the  foot. 

The  thumb  is  one  nose  in  length. 

The  space  between  the  eyes  is  equal  to  the  length  of 
one  eye. 

The  length  of  both  eyes  is  equal  to  the  length  of  the 
mouth. 


HINTS  AND  RECIPES. 


25 


Not  one  nose  in  a hundred  is  straight. 

A right-handed  person’s  nose  inclines  to  the  right — 
left-handed  the  opposite. 

You  will  find  by  modeling  that  almost  every  person’s 
face  is  larger  on  one  side  than  the  other. 


HINTS  AND  RECIPES. 

Always  model  by  a sky-light  if  possible. 

In  coloring  plaster  of  Paris  use  mineral  colors. 

In  using  dowels  for  plaster,  always  use  copper  or 
brass  wire. 

To  make  medallions  and  all  small  work,  model  on  a 
piece  of  slate,  marble,  or  glass. 

If  you  want  to  make  a pure  white  gloss  finish,  use 
the  milk  as  directed  in  polishing  piaster  without  the  oil. 

In  making  a bust,  the  chin-beard,  if  long,  can  be  cast 
separately.  It  will  save  much  trouble,  as  it  would  be 
difficult  work  to  make  a mold  under  the  chin. 

Always  model  your  figures  naked,  and  put  the  drap- 
ery on  afterwards.  Sculptors  generally  study  from  wet 
drapery.  When  wet,  the  form  over  which  the  drapery 
falls  will  be  more  distinctly  marked. 

It  is  best  to  cast  hollow  on  account  of  air-holes.  Hol- 
low casts  are  not  so  liable  to  have  them,  as  the  air  will 
escape  to  the  middle  while  you  are  turning  the  mold. 
If  solid,  there  is  no  escape  for  it,  and  it  generally  re- 
mains next  to  the  mold. 

Figures  or  groups,  as  statues,  etc.,  are  technically 
classed  as  works  “in  the  round.”  If  not  detached  from 
a background  they  are  called  “reliefs,”  and  are  further 
distinguished,  according  to  the  degree  of  such  relief,  as 
“high,”  “medium,”  and  “low  relief,”  (“alto,”  “mezzo.” 
and  “ basso  relievo  ”). 

When  modeling,  keep  a small  quantity  of  clay  on 


26 


THE  ART  OF  MODELING. 


hand  in  a wet  cloth.  As  you  take  the  clay  off  your 
work,  put  it  iu  the  cloth.  By  this  means  you  will 
always  have  prepared  clay  when  you  wish  to  add  any 
to  your  work. 

Save  all  old  plaster,  and  when  you  wish  to  make  a 
large  mold  wet  it  and  dip  it  into  fresh  plaster.  Put  it 
in  where  it  will  not  come  in  contact  with  the  model. 
This  will  save  plaster,  and  answer  all  the  purposes  of 
new  plaster.  If  you  wish  an  extra  fine  cast,  use  the 
imported  plaster  such  as  dentists  use. 


PROFILE  FROM  LIFE. 

Modelers,  who  work  from  life,  will  find  the  following 
beneficial  to  them  in  taking  a profile : 

Take  a pane  of  common  glass,  12  by  15,  frame  it  so 
that  it  can  be  fastened  on  a chair;  then  put  a piece  of 
tracing  paper  on  the  opposite  side,  fastening  at  each 
corner,  using  care  to  get  it  smooth;  then  have  the 
person  you  wish  to  take  place,  his  face  against  the  glass, 
on  the  side  which  has  no  paper  and  place  a light 
directly  opposite;  then  trace  the  outlines  on  the  paper. 
You  can  vary  the  size  by  moving  the  light  nearer  or 
further  off. 


PROPORTIONS  OF  THE  HUMAN  FORM. 

The  human  form,  drawn  perfect,  is  called  antique  or 
an  academical  figure.  The  proportions  of  the  form  of 
man  have  in  them  an  honologousness,  or  a regularity 
in  the  whole,  which  is  the  cause  of  its  harmony.  The 
several  degrees  of  plumpness,  the  meagreness,  render 
the  widths  and  the  thickness  excessively  variable  ; but 
there  is  a medium  which  is  the  result  of  health  and 
strength ; it  is  that  which  we  shall  describe,  and  which 


PROPORTIONS  OF  THE  HUMAN  FORM. 


27 


we  shall  take  for  our  basis  in  the  following  explacatiozi : 

The  height  of  man  is  generally  divided  into  seven 
parts  or  heads ; that  is,  at  least,  the  division  generally 
adopted  by  the  French  sculptors ; the  ancients  reckoned 
eight;  some  sculptors  seven  and  one-half:  but  practice 
has  demonstrated  that  the  head  was  small  relative  to 
the  rest  of  the  body. 

It  is  admitted  that  the  height  of  the  head  is  equal  to 
the  seventh  part  of  the  total  height  of  the  body.  To 
demonstrate  the  more  easily,  we  will  give  to  this  height 
of  the  head  the  name  of  unit,  then  subdividing  into 
fourths,  we  will  call  each  quarter  a part.  The  first 
extends  from  the  head  to  below  the  chin ; the  second, 
from  the  chin  to’the  lines  passing  under  the  nipples  of 
the  breast;  the  third,  from  the  nipples  of  the  breast  to 
the  line  of  the  hips;  the  fourth,  from  the  line  of  the 
hips  to  one-half  of  the  thighs;  the  fifth,  from  one-half 
of  the  thighs  to  the  patella  or  middle  of  the  knee;  the 
sixth,  from  the  patella  or  knee-cap  to  below  the  calf ; 
the  seventh,  from  below  the  calf  to  the  sole  of  the  foot. 

The  following  are  the  principal  widths  of  a figure  : 


UNITS. 


The  head,  in  the  widest  part,  which  is 

across  the  eye-brows, 

Near  the  middle  of  the  neck, 

Between  the  outside  of  the  shoulders, 2 

Between  the  sockets  of  the  shoulders, 1 

Across  the  waist,  or  the  narrowest  part  of 

the  body, 1 

Across  the  hips, 1 

At  the  bifuration  of  the  thighs 1 

Across  the  middle  of  each  thigh 

Across  the  patella,  or  knee-pan, 

Across  the  widest  part  of  the  calf, 

Below  the  calf, 

Across  the  small  part  just  above  the  ankle, 


3 

2 

h 

2^ 

1 


28  THE  ART  OF  MODELING. 

The  length  of  the  arms  and  hands  : 

UNITS.  PARTS. 


From  the  adherence  of  the  shoulder  to  the 

elbow, 1 I 

From  the  elbow  to  the  wrist, 1 

From  the  wrist  to  the  extremity  of  the  long- 
est linger, 3 

On  adding  these  different  lengths  togeth- 
er we  shall  have  : 

For  each  arm,  with  its  hand 3 

For  both 6 


On  adding  to  this  one  unit  and  two  parts,  being  the 
width  between  the  sockets,  a total  of  seven  units  and 
two  parts  will  be  found  in  an  academical  or  antique 
figure,  representing  a man  with  the  arms  extended 
horizontally.  On  deducting  the  two  parts  just  indi- 
cated, which  re-enter,  by  the  play  of  the  joint  into  the 
socket,  we  shall  have  a total  of  seven  units  exactly,  or 
the  same  as  the  total  height  of  a man. 

A profile  of  a man  : 

UNITS. 

The  profile  of  thickness  or  width  from  the 

front  to  the  back  of  the  head.  . . 1 

Thickness  of  the  neck 

Thickness  of  the  body  at  the  height  of  the 

nipple, 1 

At  the  top  of  the  thigh 3 

At  the  middle  of  the  thigh, 

Thickness  at  the  knee  and  below  the  calf 

are  each, 

Length  of  the  foot, 1 

We  must  here  observe  that  the  above  explacations 
should  not  be  considered  as  invariable,  but  as  the  limits 
of  a perfect  form,  which  should  serve  as  a guide  for  the 


PARTS. 


2 

& 

K 

3 


MISCELLANEOUS  RECIPES. 


29 


designer.  The  head  is  proportionally  larger  with  small 
individuals  ; and  on  the  contrary,  men  of  larger  stature 
have  the  head  proportionately  smaller,  and  consequently, 
returns  to  the  geometric  description  of  the  ancients, 
who  gave  eight  units  for  the  human  figure. 

The  age  and  sex  also  causes  equal  differences  ; thus,  in 
a female,  the  trunk  is  longer  than  with  the  male,  and 
the  hips  more  protuberant,  while  the  shoulders  and 
chest  are  narrower. 

The  child,  at  its  birth,  is  but  four  units  in  height. 
The  body  increases  more,  in  proportion  to  the  head,  as 
it  advances  in  age.  At  five  years  the  child  is  about  five 
units  in  height,  and  that  quality  of  proportion  augments 
until  it  attains  the  age  of  twelve  years. 

The  proportions  of  a child  of  live  or  six  years  are : 

UNITS.  PARTS, 


From  the  top  of  the  head  to  below  the  chin,  1 
From  below  the  chin  to  the  bottom  of  the 

trunk, 2 

From  the  bottom  of  the  trunk  to  the  soles  of 
the  feet, 2 


MISCELLANEOUS  RECIPES. 

VARNISH  FOR  PRESERVING  PLASTER  OR  MARBLE  EXPOSED  TO  AIR. 

Melt  two  parts  of  white  wax  with  eight  parts  of  very 
pure  essence  of  turpentine.  Apply  it  carefully  with  a 
soft  brush  while  warm.  Have  the  marble  or  plaster 
perfectly  dry. 

TO  CLEAN  ALABASTER. 

For  cleaning  alabaster,  there  is  nothing  better  than 
soap  and  water.  Stains  may  be  removed  by  washirg 
with  soap  and  water,  then  white-washing  the  stained 
part,  letting  it  stand  some  hours,  then  washing  off  the 
white-wash  and  rubbing  the  stained  part. 


3 


30 


THE  ART  OF  MODELING. 


TO  MAKE  PLASTER  CASTS  TOUGH. 

Immerse  them  for  a sufficient  time  in  a liot  solution 
of  glue  to  permit  its  penetrating  the  entire  mass. 

TO  MAKE  CASTS  LOOK  LIKE  MARBLE. 

One  quart  of  water  saturated  with  alum  (1  lb., 
nearly)  ; mix  plaster  with  this ; polish  it  with  flannel. 

TO  TAKE  CASTS  FROM  PLASTER  MOLDS  OR  MARBLE. 

Coat  the  work  with  collodion ; it  will  dry  in  about 
five  minutes;  cast  as  usual;  wash  off*  collodion  with 
alcohol  or  ether. 

MENDING  MODELS. 

Use  liquid  silex.  Wet  the  two  surfaces  with  it,  and 
allow  a few  moments  for  it  to  dry.  It  will  be  found 
very  useful  in  cases  of  accident  to  a cast.  Shellac 
varnish  is  also  recommended. 

SUBSTITUTE  FOR  PLASTER  OF  PARIS. 

Best  whitening,  two  pounds;  glue,  one  pound;  lin- 
seed oil,  one  pound.  Heat  together,  and  stir  thoroughly. 
Let  the  composition  cool,  and  then  lay  it  on 
a stone  covered  with  powdered  whiting,  and  heat  it 
■well  till  it  becomes  of  a firm  and  tough  consistence ; 
then  put  it  by  for  use,  covering  with  wet  clothes  to  keep 
it  fresh.  When  wanted  for  use,  it  must  be  cut  in  pieces 
adapted  to  the  size  of  the  mold,  into  which  it  is  forced 
by  a screw  press.  The  ornament  may  be  fixed  to  the 
wall,  picture  frame,  etc.,  with  glue  or  white  lead.  It 
becomes  in  time  as  hard  as  stone  itself. 

TO  BRONZE,  GILD,  SILVER  AND  COLOR  PLASTER. 

.All  the  different  tints  of  bronze  may  be  easily  imi- 
tated on  plaster  by  following  the  directions : 


MISCELLANEOUS  RECIPES. 


31 


To  imitate  green  bronze,  prepare  the  plaster  with 
chrome  yellow  and  Prussian  blue,  ground  in  oil,  then 
apply  bronze  powder  with  a brush.  For  antique  bronze 
give  the  plaster  a coating  of  boiled  oil  and  burnt  sienna ; 
let  it  dry  a little,  then  apply  black  lead  and  emerald 
green  ground  in  oil ; a little  cobalt  and  oil  may  then  be 
used  in  the  crevices. 

The  bronzing  of  plaster  casts  is  effected  by  giving 
them  a coat  of  oil  or  size  varnish,  and  when  this  is 
nearly  dry,  apply  with  a dabber  of  cotton  or  a camel- 
hair  pencil,  any  of  the  metallic  bronze  powders  ; or  the 
powder  may  be  placed  in  a little  bag  of  muslin  and 
dusted  over  the  surface,  and  afterwards  finished  with  a 
wad  of  linen.  The  surface  must  be  afterwards 
varnished. 

A cheap  way  to  bronze,  is  to  go  over  the  figure  with 
a size  made  of  starch  and  water.  Put  a little  starch  in 
warm  water,  stir  it  well,  put  it  on  while  it  is  warm  ; this 
will  form  a coat  which  will  keep  paint  or  varnish  from 
penetrating.  Then  use  asphaltum  varnish  ; give  it  a 
coat  before  it  gets  thoroughly  dry ; put  your  bronze  on 
with  cotton  or  brush  ; the  asphaltum  being  black,  it  will 
take  but  little  bronze. 

To  gild  it,  or  silver  it,  it  must  first  be  prepared  by 
giving  it  two  or  three  coatings  of  boiled  oil  and  a little 
Vermillion.  When  the  plaster  will  absorb  no  more,  it 
must  be  covered  with  gold  size. 

To  spread  the  gold  or  silver  leaf  on  it,  the  necessary 
implements  are  a gilder’s  cushion  and  knife.  The  book 
containing  the  leaf — gold  and  silver — is  opened  on  the 
cushion.  A single  leaf  at  a time  is  cut  into  equal  parts. 
With  a small  flat  sable,  slightly  moistened  with  grease, 
the  leaf  is  applied  to  the  plaster,  care  being  taken  to 


32 


THE  ART  OF  MODELING. 


flatten  it  down  with  cotton  wadding.  Thus  prepared, 
a copy  can  be  kept  a long  time  without  alteration. 

The  best  method  for  coloring  plaster  is  to  give  it  that 
yellowish  appearance  so  soft  and  pleasing  to  the  eye,  to 
obtain  which  a little  yellow  ochre  may  be  used  in  the 
plaster  before  casting.  It  must  be  mixed  with  it  in 
the  dry  state.  Very  little  is  required.  As  it  is  impos- 
sible to  give  any  exact  proportions,  the  best  way  is  to 
try  the  tint  by  wetting  the  plaster  mixed  with  ochre 
and  allowing  it  to  dry.  For  some  things  a reddish  lint 
is  desirable,  in  which  case  a little  Venitian  red  may  be 
used  with  the  yellow,  and  the  tints  varied  ad 
infinitum . 

ARTIFICIAL  M\RBLE. 

It  is  said  that  artificial  marble  may  be  made  as 
follows : Mix  plaster  of  Paris  in  a solution  of  alum ; 

bake  in  an  oven  and  grind  to  a powder;  then  mix  with 
water  and  form  into  shape.  It  will  bear  a high  polish. 

TO  REMOVE  SMOKE  STAINS. 

To  remove  smoke  stains  from  marble,  wash  the 
marble  with  soap  and  warm  water,  then  with  a solution 
of  weak  oxalic  acid  ; wash  it  off  in  ten  minutes.  Repeat 
until  white. 

TO  TAKE  STAINS  OUT  OF  MARBLE. 

Take  ox-gall,  wineglassful  of  soap  lees,  one-halt 
wineglassful  of  turpentine;  mix  and  make  into  a paste 
with  pipe  clay.  Put  oh  t he  paste  over  the  stain  and  let 
it  remain  for  several  days.  If  the  stain  is  not  fully 
removed,  a second  application  will  generally  prove 
sufficient. 

RECIPE  TO  CLEAN  MARBLE, 

Pulverize  a little  blue  stone  with  four  ounces  of  whit- 


MISCELLANEOUS  RECIPES. 


33 


ing ; mix  them  with  an  ounce  of  soda  dissolved  in  a 
little  water,  and  four  ounces  of  soft  soap  ; boil  the  mix- 
ture a quarter  of  an  hour  over  a slow  fire,  stirring  con- 
stantly ; lay  it  on  the  marble  with  a brush  while  hot, 
and  let  it  lie  half  an  hour  ; wash  it  with  warm  water, 
flannel  and  scrubbing-brush,  and  wipe  it  dry. 

TO  CLEAN  MARBLE,  SIENNA,  JASPER,  PORPHYRY,  ETC. 

Mix  up  a quantity  of  the  strongest  soap  lees  with 
quick  lime  to  the  consistency  of  milk,  and  lay  it  on  the 
stone,  etc.,  for  twentv-four  hours;  clean  it  afterwards 
with  soap  and  water,  and  it  will  appear  as  new;  this 
may  be  improved  by  rubbing  or  polishing  it  afterwards 
with  fine  putty  powder  and  olive  oil. 

IRON  STAINS. 

Iron  stains  may  be  removed  from  marble  by  wetting 
the  spots  Avith  oil  of  vitriol,  or  with  lemon  juice,  or  with 
oxalic  acid  diluted  in  spirits  of  wine,  and,  after  a 
quarter  of  an  hour,  rubbing  them  dry  with  a soft  linen 
cloth. 

The  above  receipt  we  found  in  an  old  receipt  book. 
They  may  do  it,  but  we  have  our  doubts. 

TO  CLEAN  MARBLE. 

If  you  have  got  a small  piece  of  marble  that  is  stain- 
ed or  dirty,  put  it  in  a kettle  of  water  with  a little 
washing  soda;  boil  it,  and  you  will  find  that  it  will 
come  out  as  white  as  ever.  If  a large  piece,  put  it  in  a 
cistern  or  some  large  trough,  or  barrel,  keep  it  covered 
with  water  six  or  eight  weeks,  take  it  out  and  scrub  it 
with  a brush,  and  you  will  find  it  as  clean  as  when 
quarried. 

SEVEN  COLORS  FOR  STAINTNG  MARBLE. 

It  is  necessary  to  heat  the  marble,  but  not  so  hot  as  to 


34 


THE  ART  OF  MODELING. 


injure  it,  the  proper  heat  being  that  at  which  colors 
nearly  boil.  Blue — alkaline  indigo  dye,  or  turnsole 
with  alkali.  Red — dragon’s  blood  in  spirits  of  wine. 
Yellow — gamboge  in  spirits  of  wine.  Gold  Color — sal. 
ammoniac,  sulphate  of  zinc  and  verdigris,  equal  parts. 
Green — sap  green  in  spirits  of  potash.  Brown — tinct- 
ure of  logwood.  Crimson — alkanet  root  in  turpentine. 
Marble  may  be  veined  according  to  taste. 

CEMENTS. 

Soak  isinglass  in  water  till  it  is  soft,  then  dissolve  it 
in  the  smallest  possible  quantity  of  proof  spirits  by  the 
aid  of  a gentle  heat.  In  two  ounces  of  this  mixture 
dissolve  ten  grains  of  ammoniacum,  and.  while  still 
liquid,  add  half  a drachm  of  mastic,  dissolved  in  three 
drachms  of  rectified  spirits.  Stir  well  together  and  put 
into  bottles.  Melt  it  by  standing  the  bottles  in  hot 
water,  and  use  directly. 

Pulverized  china,  porcelain,  marble  or  burned  bone, 
mixed  with  the  white  of  an  egg  and  a little  lime,  will 
stick  anything  and  set  quick. 

White  lead  and  demar  varnish  makes  a cement  that 
works  like  a charm. 

CEMENT  FOR  MODELING. 

Boil  paper  in  water  to  a smooth  paste,  and  to  every 
pound  of  this  add  a pound  of  sifted  whiting  and  a 
pound  of  good  size.  Boil  to  the  thickness  required. 
For  use,  mix  it  with  finely  powdered  plaster  of  Paris 
to  the  proper  consistency,  and  use  immediately.  Used 
for  statues,  busts  and  ornaments,  it  receives  a fine 
polish. 


MISCELLANEOUS  RECIPES. 


35 


Marble  may  be  cleaned  by  mixing  up  a quantity  of 
the  strongest  soap-lees  with  quick-lime,  to  the  consist- 
ence of  milk,  and  laying  it  on  the  marble  for  twenty- 
four  hours  ; clean  it  afterwards  with  salt  and  water. 

We  have  been  informed  that  common  clay  well  mixed, 
plastered  on  marble  that  has  been  stained  with  iron 
rust,  will  remove  it.  Mix  it  to  the  consistency  of  putty, 
place  it  on  the  part  that  is  stained,  let  it  remain  until 
partly  dry,  then  wash  it  off  and  put  on  some  fresh,  and 
continue  doing  so  until  it  disappears. 

We  are  also  informed  that  it  would  take  out  any 
stain  except  grease.  This  is  cheap  and  simple,  and  it 
will  do  no  harm  to  try  it. 

Chloride. of  lime  mixed  with  pulverized  chalk,  is 
good  lo  remove  stains  from  marble. 

Take  a little  spermaceti  or  white  beeswax  to  till  up 
holes  in  marble,  if  they  are  not  too  large. 

Cuttle  fish  bone,  such  as  they  feed  canary  birds,  is  a 
good  thing  to  clean  the  dust  off  polished  marble.  Dip 
it  in  clean  water,  and  use  the  soft  side,  and  it  will  not 
effect  the  polish. 

Take  one-half  soda  (baking  soda),  one-fourth  pulver- 
ized chalk,  one-fourth  pulverized  pumice  stone.  Mix  to 
a thin  paste  (on  the  stone),  with  hot  water,  let  it  remain 
over  night,  wash  off  with  clean  water  and  soap,  repeat 
until  it  is  all  out.  If  that  does  not  start  it,  mix  the 
powder  with  lemon  juice. 

First  brush  the  dust  off,  (hen  apply  with  a brush  a 
good  coat  of  gum-arabic,  about  the  consistency  of  thick 
office  mucilage ; expose  it  to  the  sun,  dry  wind,  or  both. 
In  a short  time  it  will  crack  and  peel  off ; wash  with  a 


36 


THE  ART  OF  MODELING. 


clean  rag,  and  renew  the  application  if  necessary.  It  is 
an  excellent  absorbent. 

To  remove  grease  from  marble  : Aqua  ammonia,  two 
ounces;  soft  water,  one  quart ; saltpetre,  one  teaspoon- 
ful ; shaving  soap  in  shavings,  1 ounce;  mix  all  togeth- 
er ; dissolve  the  soap  well,  and  any  grease  or  dirt  that 
cannot  be  removed  with  this  preparation,  nothing  else 
need  be  tried  for  it. 

Powers  the  well-known  sculptor,  gave  the  following 
directions  in  reference  to  the  cleaning  and  care  of 
marble  statues  : 

“ Allow  no  one  to  touch  them,  for  the  oil  on  the  skin 
will  be  sure  to  discolor  the  marble.  In  cleaning,  be 
sure  to  use  pure  cold  water  only  ; and  wash  with  a 
painter’s  small  brush.  To  brush  off  dust  merely,  use  a 
fly -flap  made  of  peacocks’  feathers,  which  is  to  be  used 
for  no  other  purpose,  so  you  will  be  sure  it  is  perfectly 
soft  and  dry. 

“ Cover  the  marble  in  summer  with  gauze,  to  keep  off 
the  flies.  If  any  flies  or  insects  should  get  to  it,  use 
alcohol  to  remove  the  blemish,  and  on  no  account  use 
soap  and  warm  water,  for  it  will  be  sure  to  discolor 
the  marble. 

The  light  should  fall  on  the  statue  or  bust  from  such 
a height  as  to  leaven  hair’s  breadth  between  the  shade  of 
the  nose  and  the  upper  lip ; and  a shade  in  the  window, 
or  light  cloth  is  desirable.” 


A SCULPTOR'S  FINISHING  PROCESS. 

Mi*.  Powers  modeled  all  his  statues  in  plaster;  for  his 
busts  he  used  clay.  As  the  greater  part  of  the  latter 
were  portraits,  to  be  steadily  worked  upon  until  fin- 
ished and  cast,  there  are  not  the  same  difficulties  to  be 


a sculptor’s  finishing  process. 


37 


encountered  as  in  modeling  a statue,  but  the  thought 
frequently  occurred  to  him  that  it  would  be  infinitely 
more  convenient  to  work  in  plaster  altogether. 

Adjoining  his  studio  he  had  a little  machine  shop,  in 
which,  when  over  weary  with  studio  labors,  he  passed 
many  hours,  working  out  some  of  the  many  inventions 
to  which  his  fertile  brain  had  given  birth.  He  made 
all  the  instruments  and  tools  which  he  used  in  his 
studio,  and  which  were  of  fine  steel,  light  and  delicate, 
instead  of  the  rather  clumsy  wooden  ones  in  general 
use.  He  confessed  that  but  for  his  knowledge  of 
mechanics,  and  the  facilities  he  had  for  making  such 
instruments  from  time  to  time  as  he  required,  he  would 
not  have  been  able  to  carry  the  idea  of  modeling  in 
plaster  to  perfection,  and  it  was  not  at  all  likely  to  be 
adopted  by  others,  but  that  he  found  it  a great  advan- 
tage. He  could  throw  down  his  tools  at  night,  and 
leave  his  statue  for  an  indefinite  period — for  years,  if 
he  wished — then  take  them  up  and  commence  at  the 
very  spot  he  left,  to  work  upon  it  again. 

The  process,  as  he  explained  it,  was  very  ingenious 
and  interesting.  He  first  arranged  the  lines  of  his  fig- 
ure on  his  movable  platform  of  iron  bars  and  rods; 
these  he  fastened  firmly  together  in  place,  and  thus  had 
his  skeleton.  He  then  mixed  his  plaster,  which,  before 
it  was  hard,  he  cut  or  creased  into  blocks  of  different 
shapes  and  sizes,  such  as  he  knew  he  would  require. 
Then,  when  they  were  hard,  he  arranged  them  on  his 
skeleton,  completely  fastened  them  together  with  moist 
plaster,  which,  when  it  set,  formed  one  solid  mass. 
This  was  then  formed  into  a semblance  of  the  future 
statue  with  more  moist  plaster ; then  he  went  from  one 
process  to  another  until  the  beautiful  thing  approached 
completion.  He  proceeded  slowly  but  satisfactorily  up 
to  that  point,  when  his  trouble  commenced  anew.  He 
found  that  however  sharp  a knife,  chisel,  or  what  he 


THE  ART  OF  MODELING. 


38 

used  in  finishing  up,  tiny  bits  would  break  out  or  chip 
off,  destroying  the  beauty  of  the  surface.  After  much 
consideration,  he  decided  that  the  only  way  to  finish 
was  by  using  files  of  various  shapes  and  sizes.  He  had 
found  the  idea,  truly,  but  in  use  they  clogged  so  fast 
with  the  lime  dust,  that  he  could  make  but  slow  prog- 
ress. Then  it  occurred  to  him  that  they  must  be  open 
files ; files,  but  with  a hole  behind  each  tooth  for  the 
dust  to  pass  through  and  fall  off.  He  made  them, 
and  they  worked  like  a charm.  He  used  many  of  every 
size  and  shape,  curved,  straight,  broad  and  narrow  ; 
some  with  holes  the  size  of  a shot ; others  (those  used 
at  the  very  last  to  put  on  the  fine,  skin-like  texture),  as 
fine  as  the  eye  of  a needle.  Some  were  simply  to  push 
forward  ; others  only  to  draw  backward.  Some  were 
to  take  off  the  plaster  in  quantities others',  only  a tiny 
dust.  His  work  was  accomplished,  and  he  pursued  his 
labor  with  perfect  ease,  and  at  leisure.  The  arms  and 
head  were  fastened  on  in  such  a way  that  they  could  be 
removed  at  pleasure,  and  in  any  way  worked  upon 
more  easily. 


TO  PRESERVE  FLOWERS. 


39 


TO  TAKE  IMPRESSIONS  OF  FLOWERS,  LEAVES,  ETC. 

Take  a sheet  of  tine  wove  paper  and  oil  it  with  sweet 
oil;  after  it  has  stood  a minute  or  two,  to  let  it  soak 
through,  rub  off  the  superfluous  oil,  and  let  it  hang  in 
the  air  to  dry ; after  the  oil  has  pretty  well  dried  in, 
hold  the  sheet  over  a lighted  candle,  so  that  the  flame 
will  touch  it,  and  move  it  quickly  to  and  fro  until  it  is 
perfectly  black,  When  you  wish  to  take  impressions  of 
plants  or  leaves,  place  them  carefully  upon  the  black- 
ened surface  of  the  paper,  lav  a piece  of  clean  paper 
over  them,  and  rub  them  with  the  fingers  equally  in 
all  parts  for  half  a minute;  then  take  up  the  plants  or 
leaves,  being  careful  to  preserve  their  shape,  and  place 
upon  the  paper  on  which  the  impression  is  wished, 
cover  them  with  a piece  of  blotting  paper,  rub  it  with 
the  fingers. for  a short  time,  and  it  will  give  an  impres- 
sion superior  to  the  finest  engraving.  The  same  piece 
of  black  paper  will  serve  to  take  off  a great  number  of 
impressions. 


TO  PRESERVE  FLOWERS. 

A new  mode  of  preserving  flowers,  fruit,  and  botan- 
ical specimens  generally,  has  been  suggested  by  Dr. 
Presse.  which  we  think  will  be  appreciated  by  those 
who  wish  to  preserve  specimens  gathered  by  departed 
friends,  or  to  retain  the  form  of  flowers  for  botanical 
teaching.  The  process  consists  in  simply  dipping  the 
flowers  into  melted  paraffine,  and  withdrawing  them 
quickly,  when  a thin  coat  of  paraffine  instantly  sets  and 
encloses  hermetically  the  plant  so  treated.  In  order  to 
be  successful,  the  flowers  should  be  freshly  gathered, 
perfectly  dry,  and  free  from  dew  or  moisture  of  rain. 
The  paraffine  should  not  be  hotter  than  just  sufficient  to 
liquify  it;  and  the  flowers  should  be  dipped  into  it  sep- 


40 


THE  ART  OF  MODELING. 


arately,  holding  them  by  the  stalks,  and  moving  them 
about  to  get  rid  of  the  bubbles  of  air  which  are  apt  to 
become  imprisoned  within  the  corolke  of  the  flowers. 
Those  parts  of  the  plants  or  flowers  which  are  not  to  be 
preserved  should  be  removed  with  scissors  prior  to 
dipping  them  in  the  paraffine. 


WHITE  OR  GREEN  MOSS  CROSSES. 

Very  fine  effects  are  produced  by  covering  wooden  or 
cardboard  crosses  with  finely  fringed  tissue  paper. 
The  paper  should  be  cut  into  strips  about  one  and  one- 
half  inches  wide,  then  fringed  with  scissors  as  finely  as 
possible,  and  wrapped  around  closely  until  the  whole 
is  covered  like  moss,  none  of  the  foundation  being  visi- 
ble. They  may  he  made  of  pure  white  paper,  or  of 
several  shades  of  green,  and  the  effect  may  be  pleasantly 
varied  by  mingling  or  entwining  a few  wax  or  dried 
flowers  among  the  mass.  If  pure  white  wax  flowers 
are  used  with  tissue  paper,  it  will  he  very  chaste.  A 
wreath  of  autumn  leaves  in  wax  will  also  he  very 
pretty.  Baskets  and  mats  of  the  same  material  are 
pleasing. 


NICHOLS  & CO., 

Dealers  in 


Modeling  Material, 

CLAY.  PLASTER  OF  PARIS, 

TOOLS,  MODELS, 

AND 

IE3  veitryr  ZEdecpuLisite  for  tire  Modeler. 


Orders  Promptly  Filled 


202  W.  Washington  St,  CHICAGO,  ILL. 


N ichols  & Co.’s  Price  List. 


Modeling  Tools,  per  dozen.  $5  00 

Modeling  Clay,  prepared,  per  lb. ... . 5 

Plaster  Tools,  each 75 

Plaster  of  Paris,  New  York,  per  bbl 3 00 

“ “ ‘k  per  lb 4 

“ “ Michigan,  per  bbl 2 50 

“ “ per  lb 3 


ARTISTS’  MODELS. 


Antique  Statue  of  Venus 

“ Laocoon 

<k  “ Quoit  Pitcher 

“ “ Theseus 

Face  from  Statue  of  Laocoon,  full  size.  . . 
“ Cicero,  k< 

“ “ Diana,  “ 

u Venus,  k‘ 

Foot,  No.  1,  from  life,  male 

“ 2,  “ female 

“ 3,  large 

“ “ 4,  anatomical 

“ u 5,  from  Statue  of  Venus 

a u f)  a tc 

u 8,  from  life,  female 

“ u 9,  sandaled 

“ u 10,  from  Statue  of  Gladiator. . . . 

“ “ 11,  from  life,  male 

“ “ 12,  infants,  from  life,  right 

“ “ 13,  “ u left  

u mi  14,  “ small. 

Infant’s  leg  and  foot 


n so 
2 00 

1 50 
5 00 

2 00 
1 50 
1 50 
1 50 
1 00 
1 25 
1 25 
1 00 
1 00 
1 00 
1 00 
1 00 
1 00 
1 00 

75 
75 
50 
1 00 


NICHOLS  & CO.’S  PRICE  LIST— Continued. 

HANDS  AND  ARMS. 

No.  1,  Anatomical. 1 00 

“ 2,  Hand  from  Statue  of  Venus 1 00 

3,  Arm  and  hand  holding  scroll 1 00 

“ 4,  Hand,  open,  from  life 75 

“ 5.  Hand  and  part  of  arm 1 00 

“ 6,  Hand,  open,  from  life 75 

‘‘  7,  Hand  holding  scroll,  from  life 1 00 

**  8,  Hand  on  pedestal 1 00 

“ 9,  Hand,  partly  closed,  from  life 75 

“ 10,  Child’s  hand,  from  life 50 

- 11,  “ “ 50 

“ 12,  Large  hand,  from  life 1 00 

Human  Ears,  from  life,  large 1 00 

■'*  “ small 75 

Three  Children’s  Heads,  from  the  antique 5 00 

Boxing,  25  cents  extra. 

Statues  and  Busts  of  every  description.  Send  for  list. 

Direct  all  orders  to 

NICHOLS  CO., 

202  W.  Washington  St..  CHICAGO,  ILL. 


. 


